City adaptation strategies: recognising livelihood struggles of migrant workers in India

This paper examines the adaptation strategies of migrant workers to diverse livelihood risks and uncertainties in Indian cities. This research was part of a larger study that examined the vulnerability contexts of migrant workers to climate change and health inequities in three cities: Kochi, Surat and Mumbai. The findings of this paper are inferred from data collected through qualitative interviews from 45 migrant workers in the three cities. Insights are provided on the following adaptation strategies: mobility; livelihood diversification; risk pooling; asset conservation, storage and enhancement; self-remedy; market exchange; structural adaptation; and informal entrepreneurship. This paper asserts that informal entrepreneurship could be poised as a successful adaptation strategy. Such a framework also provides an opportunity to develop a framework that blends agency-based adaptation with a socio-ecological system perspective.

Available at http://pubs.iied.org/10736IIED.html

Further reading:

Jaswal, Surinder, Sunil D Santha, Annu Kuruvilla, Kaushik Datta, Devisha Sasidevan and Ajmal Khan (2015), “Climate change, vulnerability and adaptive social protection: innovation and practice among migrant workers in Indian cities”, Asian Cities Climate Resilience Working Paper Series 20, International Institute for Environment and Development, London, 34 pages, available at http://pubs.iied.org/10737IIED.html.

Revi, A (2008), “Climate change risk: an adaptation and mitigation agenda for Indian cities”, Environment and Urbanization Vol 20, No 1, pages 207–229, available at http://eau.sagepub.com/content/20/1/207.

Tacoli, C (2009), “Crisis or adaptation? Migration and climate change in a context of high mobility”, Environment and Urbanization Vol 21, No 2, pages 513–525, available at http://eau.sagepub.com/content/21/2/513.